Revere, MA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Revere, MA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Where allowed
- RA, RA1, RB, RB1 districts only
- Max size
- 900 sq ft or 1/2 house, smaller
- Detached height cap
- 20 feet
- Detached setbacks
- 20 ft rear, 10 ft side, 15 ft front
- No variances allowed
- Zoning board cannot waive ADU standards
Summary
Revere allows accessory dwelling units in its RA, RA1, RB and RB1 districts, capped at 900 square feet or half the principal home's floor area, whichever is smaller. A detached ADU cannot exceed 20 feet in height and must sit at least 20 feet from the rear line, 10 feet from each side line, 15 feet from the front line, and 10 feet from the main house.
The maximum gross floor area of an ADU shall be not more than 900 gross square feet, or not more than 1/2 gross floor area of the principal dwelling, whichever is smaller. ... No detached ADU shall exceed 20 feet in height. ... No detached ADU shall be closer than 20 feet from the rear property line, 10 feet from each side property line, 15 feet from the front property line, and 10 feet from the principal structure.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4804778; v14 updated 2026-05-04).
Full Breakdown
O. 25-028/CZ-25-02 on April 28, 2025, replaced the city's earlier ADU chapter and now governs accessory dwelling units in the RA, RA1, RB and RB1 districts. 020(D), an ADU cannot exceed 900 gross square feet or half the principal dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is smaller, and the same section bars ADUs on any structure not connected to public water and sewer and below the FEMA 100-year base flood elevation. 040 faces its own dimensional package: a 20-foot height cap, minimum setbacks of 20 feet from the rear line, 10 feet from each side line, 15 feet from the front line and 10 feet from the principal structure, and it cannot occupy more than 25 percent of the combined rear and side yard, or 35 percent if it cannot meet the flood-elevation rule.
No detached ADU may sit between the street and the front-facing side of the principal dwelling. 050 before a permit issues. 020(H) forbids the zoning board of appeals from granting any variance for an ADU, so a project that cannot meet these numbers must be redesigned rather than appealed.
Violations & Fines
Building or converting space into an ADU that exceeds 900 square feet, or half the principal dwelling, skips site plan review, or violates the detached ADU's height or setback limits is a zoning violation under Revere Municipal Code § 17.04.030, voiding the certificate of occupancy, and the zoning board of appeals cannot grant a variance to cure it under Section 17.25.020(H); the building inspector can require the unit be resized, relocated or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can an accessory dwelling unit be in Revere?
Can I put a detached ADU close to my property line?
Can I ask the zoning board for a variance if my ADU doesn't fit these numbers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Revere
How Revere compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Revere to another location·View the Massachusetts accessory structures overview
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ADU Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle adu rules.